This invention relates to ultrasound transducers and, more particularly, to a biopsy needle guide which is attachable to an ultrasound transducer and is configured such that an outer segment thereof resides exterior to an enclosing film sheath so as to avoid a need for repeated sterilizations of an inner segment thereof and to enable disposal of the outer segment after use.
Needle guide adapters for mounting upon ultrasound transducers are known in the prior art. Such needle guides enable arrangement of a biopsy needle with respect to the ultrasound transducer so that, upon insertion of the tip of the needle into a patient, the tip enters a plane that is being imaged by the transducer. U.S. Pat. No. 5,076,279 to Arenson et al. illustrates one such needle guide adapter.
FIG. 1 is illustrative of the configuration of the Arenson et al. biopsy needle guide and illustrates its positioning over an ultrasound transducer 10 which has, in turn, been covered by a sterile film sheath 12. The biopsy needle guide 14 attaches exteriorly to sterile film sheath 12, via interaction of a spring latch 16 with an opposed side of ultrasound transducer 10 and sterile film sheath 12. Biopsy needle guide 14 includes an angled through-hole 18 which is adapted to accept a biopsy needle 20 and to guide its tip 22 to a region within a patient that is being imaged by ultrasound transducer 10. A latching mechanism 24 is actuable to fix biopsy needle 20 in through hole 18.
A problem presented by the Arenson et al. configuration of in FIG. 1 is that it will tend to accumulate blood and other fluids within through hole 18 which renders it difficult to clean and sterilize for re-use. Accordingly, substantial care must be taken during any subsequent sterilization to assure that all such fluids are totally inactivated, or to completely dispose of needle guide 14 after each use. Due to the structural complexity of needle guide 14, this adds a substantial expense to each procedure wherein such a needle guide is employed.
There is therefore a need for a biopsy needle guide that both adapts to coupling to an ultrasound transducer, while exhibiting reduced patient cost per procedure and reduced turn-around time between procedures.
A biopsy needle guide in accordance with the invention is configured for attachment to an ultrasound transducer. The biopsy needle guide is arranged in two sections, an inner attachment block and an outer attachment block. The inner attachment block includes (i) a coupler which attaches the inner attachment block to the ultrasound transducer and (ii) a first engagement structure which extends from a surface thereof. The outer attachment block includes a biopsy needle guide through hole and a second engagement structure. The second engagement structure releasably mates with the first engagement structure even when the inner attachment block is covered by a sterile film sheath. This enables only the outer attachment block to be replaced after each use, while enabling the inner attachment block and its coupling mechanism to be reused during successive procedures.
The coupler that attaches the inner attachment block to the transducer has a vertical feature on one side and a horizontal feature on the other side. Those features mate with corresponding vertical and horizontal features on the transducer, assuring that the attachment blocks cannot be attached in a wrong orientation.